Annadorn

Passage Grave

Annadorn (Passage Grave) on The Modern Antiquarian, the UK & Ireland's most popular megalithic community website. 4 images, 1 fieldnote, 1 weblink, plus information on many more ancient sites nearby and across the UK & Ireland.

A rectangular chamber 1.8m across covered by a capstone is all that remains of a chamber approached from the north-east by a lintelled passage, which originally stood under a round cairn 18m in diameter. It stands about 46m (150') O.D.
Dubordieu, writing in 1802, described it as 'having been discovered, nearly 30 years ago, to contain within its circumference, which is about 60 yards, and towards the bottom, a large smooth stone, of a square figure, from seven to eight feet over, and supported by several other stones above three and a half feet high, forming underneath a kind of chamber, in which were found ashes, and a number of bones to appearance human; upon the surface of this large stone, when the smaller stones which were pyramidically arranged were removed, a quantity of black ashes were found. The entrance to this chamber was towards the north, and under several flat stones regularly disposed in front of each other, and extending to the outside of the cairn; these stones were some years ago taken away for building.'

This is near Annadorn, in the county Down. It was not known that there was any cromleac under this carn, until it was accidentally discovered by a man who was feeding cows beside it.
The cromleac is broad and long, but not so thick as some others: it appears remarkably well adapted for the purpose of an altar. It is entirely surrounded by a number of upright stones, which were also covered by the carn.

I assume this is the right place.. I liked the manner of its discovery. The trouble is, elsewhere in the book is the passage it refers to (the book has instructional conversations in Irish and then the translation in English):

G. Was there not a cromleac found, under a carn, near that place [ie the place refered to in the note above]?
S. There was, indeed, about two miles from it, (about seven years before,) an exceeding large, broad, level, smooth stone, as polished as the pebbles on the sea coast: I am persuaded there is no other cromleac in Ireland so neat as it is; as the gentleman asserted, who came to view it.
There was an enclosure of long equal stones, standing strait up round the great cromleach, when it was found: under a great carn of small stones.
G. Were these long stones lifted?
S. They were all carried away to a building near the place.
G. Surely the cave was not broken.
S. It was broken and destroyed; neither flag nor stone was left, of any value, that was not carried away in the same manner.
G. I am surprised that the cave was broken.
S. why, even the round tower at Downpatrick was thrown down; and I think, Sir, that it is not lucky to touch such things.

Perhaps the cromleac would say, 'reports of my death are greatly exaggerated'. Maybe for purposes of learning vocabulary or dramatic effect?

From 'An introduction to the Irish language' by the Rev. W Neilson (1808) - it can be read on Google Books.